Horse &#34;Z&#34; guide

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a check for control of the downward movement of the head of an animal having a forwardly elongated head, such as a horse, which includes a pair of rigid side members adapted for location one on each side of the head of the animal. The side members are joined at their lower ends by a cross member adapted for bearing against the lower forward part of the head, and at an intermediate portion by a support member adapted for resting on an upper part of the head. Straps extend from upper ends of the side members over the head to a fixed point on a harness on the body of the animal, so that the pull on the straps is applied to the lower cross member with the head held firmly between the lower cross member and the intermediate support member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a check for use in the control of the downwardmovement of the heads of animals, and in particular to the control ofthe heads of horses in the sport of harness racing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In harness racing, and other uses of draft animals, it is commonpractice to use a bridle having a bit for location in the mouth of thehorse. Control of the head of the horse is achieved by pulling reinsattached to the bridle, which pull the bit further into the mouth andalso pulls the head of the horse downwards.

In situations where a horse is difficult to control the rider may pullon the reins with such force that the bit may damage the mouth andteeth. Jerking and bad driving may have a similar effect. The presenceof the bit in the mouth may also result in breathing problems, choking,and even swallowing of the tongue. In addition, as mentioned above,pulling on the reins tends to pull the head downwards. Occasions havearisen where the heads of horses involved in harness races have beenpulled downwards to such an extent that the horses have tripped andfallen, resulting in severe, and occasionally fatal, injury to thehorses and riders.

Checks have therefore been used to help prevent the head of a difficultto control horse from being pulled downwards, by the driver pulling onthe reins or by the horse itself. Such checks are commonly in the formof a leather loop which is passed over the forward end of the head andattached to a fixed point on a harness by an adjustable strap whichpasses over the head and between the ears. However, as a horse pullsdownwardly against such a check, the loop tends to deform to constrictaround the mouth and may interfere with the bit of the bridle. Also, thelips and skin of the horse tend to become caught between the loop andthe bit and may be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a check which allowsa driver to set the height of the head of a horse or other draft animal.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a checkarranged such that pulling on the reins does not tend to pull the headdownwards.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a check forcontrol of the downward movement of the head of an animal having aforwardly elongated head comprising:

a pair of rigid spaced side members having respective upper and lowerends and adapted for location one on each side of the head of the animalto extend between upper and lower surfaces of the head;

a lower cross member extending between the lower ends of the sidemembers and adapted for abutting securely against a forward part of thelower surface of the head of the animal for application thereto of anupward force restraining said downward movement;

an intermediate support member extending between the side membersintermediate of the ends of the side members and adapted for abuttingthe upper surface of the head of the animal to support the check on theanimal head with the head between the lower cross member and theintermediate support member; and

flexible elongate members extending from the upper ends of the sidemembers and passing over the head of the animal for attachment to afixed point on a harness mounted on the body of the animal rearwardly ofthe head and to thereby oppose any downward movement of the animal head.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the check of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the check of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the check of FIG. 1 fitted to a horse (shown inchain dotted outline).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is made to the drawings, which show a check, designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 20. The check 20 is shown fitted on ahorse in FIG. 3 and the components of the check will be describedfirstly with particular reference to FIGS. 1 & 2. The check is providedin addition to the usual bridle and bit which are not shown. The checkincludes a pair of elongate side member 22, 24. The side members 22, 24are joined at their upper ends 26, 28 by an upper cross member 34, attheir lower ends 30, 32 by a lower cross member in the form of a chain36, and also at an intermediate portion by means of an intermediatesupport member 38.

Each side member 22, 24 includes an upper portion 40, an intermediateportion 42, and a lower portion 44 which collectively generally define aZ-shape rotated through 90°. Eachof the longer upper portions 40 isprovided with a hole 46 at its upper end 28 to receive a ring 48 forconnection to respective straps 50. Further holes 52 are providedadjacent the upper ends 26, 28 for receiving suitable attachments 54,such as bolts, used to secure the upper cross member 34 to the sidemembers 22, 24. The intermediate portion 42 extends at an acute anglefrom the lower end of the upper portion and is of slightly shorterlength than the upper portion 40. A number of holes 56 are provided inthe intermediate portion 42 for receiving attachments 58, such as bolts,used to secure the support member 38 to the side members 22, 24 in avariety of positions as permitted by the different locations of theholes 56. The shorter lower portion 44 extends downwardly from theleading end of the intermediate portion 42 at an acute angle just lessthan 90°. Holes 60 are provided at the lower ends 30, 32 of the lowerportions 44 to accomodate the end links 62 of the chain 36.

The upper cross member 34 is joined to the side members by means ofattachments 54 as described above and is formed of a U-shaped pieceprovided with end holes 64 for receiving the attachments 54.

The intermediate support member 38 is generally arcuate in shape,corresponding to the shape of the head of the animal on which the checkis to be mounted, and is provided with end holes 66 for receiving theattachments 58 which secure the member 38 to the intermediate portions42. A number of holes 66 are provided at each end of the member 38,constituting multiple points of connection, to permit adjustment of themember 38 to accomodate different shapes and sizes of head. A furtherhole 68 is provided in the middle part of the member 38 for receiving asuitable attachment 70 to retain a strap 72 used to hold the check 20 onthe head of the horse, this strap being connected to the horse'sheadress (not shown) for this purpose.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 of the drawings which shows the check 20located on a the head of a horse 74. As can be seen from the drawing,the support member 38 rests on the nose while the chain 36 extendsbeneath the forward part of the head. The upper cross member 34 extendsabove and across of the head.

Control of the head is achieved by setting the lengths of the adjustablestraps 50 which extend from the rings 48 and pass between the ears ofthe horse to a fixed point on a body harness 78. Tightening of thestraps 50 causes the check 20 to pivot on the nose about the supportmember 38, thus causing the chain 36 to bear against the lower part ofthe head, the head thus being held firmly between the lower cross memberand the support member for the application of this restraint. Downwardmovement of the is thus restrained by the straps.

From this it will be appreciated that the check of the present inventionallows a rider or driver to set the position of the head of a horse orother draft animal without interfering with the operation of the bit.

It will be appreciated that the preceding description is made by way ofexample only and that various modifications and changes may be made inthe construction and arrangement of elements comprising the preferredform of the present invention without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

We claim:
 1. A check for control of the downward movement of the head ofan animal having a forwardly elongated head comprising:a pair of rigidspaced side members having respective upper and lower ends and adaptedfor location one on each side of the head of the animal to extendbetween upper and lower surfaces of the head; a lower cross memberextending between the lower ends of the side members and adapted forabutting securely against a forward part of the lower surface of thehead of the animal for application thereto of an upward forcerestraining said downward movement; an intermediate support memberextending between the side members intermediate of the ends of the sidemembers and adapted for abutting the upper surface of the head of theanimal to support the check on the animal head with the head between thelower cross member and the intermediate support member; and flexibleelongate members extending from the upper ends of the side members andpassing over the head of the animal for attachment to a fixed point on aharness mounted on the body of the animal rearwardly of the head and tothereby oppose any downward movement of the animal head.
 2. A check asclaimed in claim 1, in which an upper cross member is provided forextending between the upper ends of the side members, and adapted toextend over and clear of an upper part of the head of the animal.
 3. Acheck as claimed in claim 1, in which the lower cross member isflexible.
 4. A check as claimed in claim 3, in which the lower crossmember is in the form of a chain.
 5. A check as claimed in claim 1, inwhich the intermediate support member is arcuate in shape so as toconform to the shape of the said upper surface of the head of theanimal.
 6. A check as claimed in claim 1, in which the side members, thecross member and the support member are substantially elongate.
 7. Acheck as claimed in claim 1, in which the said side members are ofsubstantially Z-shape, the said lower cross member extends between tworespective ends of the side members, and the said intermediate supportmember extends between the two respective intermediate portions of theZ-shape side members.
 8. A check as claimed in claim 1, in which thesaid side members are of substantially Z-shape, the said lower crossmember extends between two respective ends of the side members, the saidintermediate support member extends between the two respectiveintermediate portions of the Z-shape side members, and the upper crossmember extends between the other two respective ends of the sidemembers.
 9. A check as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side members andthe intermediate support member are provided with multiple points ofconnection to one another for adjustment of the intermediate supportmember to conform to the head of the animal on which the check isplaced.
 10. A check as claimed in claim 1, wherein a strap member forholding the check on the animal head extends from the intermediatesupport member for connection to a headress of the animal.
 11. A checkas claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible elongate membes are strapsof adjustable length.